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With the pound long having fallen from grace, now having the value of around $1.50 per pound, importing isn't as great as it used to be for those located in the UK. It was always an ask to import box sets for under the £18 customs limit when £1 was equal to $2, but it became that much harder once the pound fell in value.

But all is not lost for anime fans in the UK, attempting to collect R1 releases - even with PlayUSA now having raised their prices by £1; taking their £17.99 sets above the £18 customs limit. In fact, not a lot has changed if you've been ordering second-hand DVDs for awhile because, every month or two, either SecondSpin or Wherehouse (the same site, just with different looks and names - don't ask me why!) release a new code that allows for free shipping AND knocks 20% off. Sometimes they even make the code work when used to purchase new stock!

It'd require far too much effort for me to list everything I've ordered from them, and a lot of my orders included mixed volumes from various series since I often use SS to 'fill in holes' in my collection; waiting for the prices of certain DVDs to drop in price. I've done this with Fighting Spirit, My-HiME, Fafner, Desert Punk and a number of other titles. (I usually aim for series I have the art box for or series that are OOP.) I've also collected some series from scratch that I probably never would've watched if not for their free shipping and cheap prices, such as Nadia and Please Twins.

Here are some of my orders:



I actually ordered Galaxy Railways many months ago. Most of the other orders I'll show aren't from so long ago, but I'm starting with GR because I only got around to watching it recently; finishing it the other day.

There's nothing more pleasing than ordering a complete, unreleased in the UK anime for so little... when you end up liking it, that is. And, as luck would have it, I do like GR. It's old school in its execution, including near to no moe content, and it's got me interested in watching more anime like it.



Air Gear isn't available in the UK, and the same goes for the unknown Y's OVA. Getting all six volumes (together with an art box) for so little is excellent when the show isn't that old, and it's even better when the DVDs are OOP. Getting the Y's OVA for cheap isn't too bad, either - I am a RPG fan, after all!

Edit: This order arrived yesterday and, aside from a few minor dents on the Air Gear art box, everything is mint/as new--original cases, no scratches, etc.

When you get lucky, it feels good ordering from SS/Wherehouse and getting used stock that looks new. :D



Narutaru is a title I've started twice, on-holded once and gone on to drop. But I'm rather fond of Kitoh's other work - Bokurano - and it's rare to see stories as twisted as his get made into anime. So, with it being OOP and going for very little, I thought why not? It'll be good to add to my collection, if nothing else.

As for Tales of Phantasia, I've already watched it, rating it 6/10. It isn't anything special but, being on OVA, it looks nice enough and it's an adaptation of a RPG. If it's RPG related, then that fact alone is usually enough to tempt me.

Edit: This lot arrived today, and everything is mint/as new... once again. Volume four of Narutaru still has its seal intact along the top, and Tales of Phantasia still has its seal intact along the top AND bottom. I'm happy.



I thought this order had gone missing: it was sent halfway through November and arrived at the end of January - I even got refunded weeks before it arrived!

I'm glad it did arrive, though, because Mermaid Forest turned out to be something of a gem. Individually the stories may only get around 7/10 for the most part, but when put together as a series they're very enjoyable to sit through.

Watching MF reminded me why I loved MI so much - something I'd forgotten after reading Ranma. After finishing MF, I went and watched the short OVA adaptations of Takahashi's work, and watching One-pound Gospel made me order the four volume manga. :)

...Oh, and getting Golden Boy in mint condition was also very nice, considering I enjoyed watching it a lot.




With GTO being my #1 manga, it pleased me to end to get the second box set for so little. And it pleased me even more when the set arrived sealed, mint and complete with an American 'medium' t-shirt. All I needed to complete my pleasure was the first five DVDs...

Eventually, I ordered the first four - the fifth not being available. Obviously, I'd rather own the first art box, but I'm not so fussy that I'd avoid ordering the singles. And, on the plus side of not owning the fifth volume, most of the episodes on that disc are fillers/fillerized ones. :D

(I'm also happy to own Junkers; a rare 9/10 of mine.)




And, finally: new, pre-ordered DVDs. Although it's rarer than their used codes, sometimes codes are released that work with new DVDs. Since most other stores ask for prices over the customs limit and/or add a shipping cost, these codes are most excellent for people like me.

Both orders arrived sealed and undamaged. I've yet to watch either but, when I'm in the mood either for fan servicey Sunrise goodness or one of the best (supposedly, anyway) anime ever, they'll be given time.


...I'm all typed out now. I hope this has been of interest to a bored individual or two!